| Young soca artistes bash Bunji's 'Gully or Gaza' | | Print | |
| Written by Alicia Viarruel–Dec 17, 2009 |
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Soca superstar Bunji Garlin's new song asks repeatedly, Who you rather, the Gully or the Gaza? This is the latest example of the growing influence of dancehall music on soca. While this trend is welcomed by many of his fans some young soca artistes are not pleased by the Jamaican influence, not only in local music, but on the airwaves as a whole. Nesta 'Sekon Sta' Boxill, a contestant from this year's Synergy Soca Star, once admired Bunji. Now all he feels is disappointment. The 20-year-old son of prolific calypsonian and song writer, Merchant, told The Student Press in an interview yesterday that Bunji was "compromising his integrity as an artiste by playing on something that two other artistes are beefing over." He said in light of the clashes between students from El Dorado East and West, which was reportedly labelled "the Gully" vs "the Gaza", the singer should not have a song which could add fire to the rivalry. The song, he believes, is nothing more than a free advertisement for Vybz Kartel and Movado. "I am a Trinidadian. As an artiste to go on a stage and perform soca I feel somewhat complete. I feel a sense of contentment when I am accepted singing soca," Nesta said. 
Erphan Alves, 2008 Junior Soca Monarch, thinks the media must take part of the blame for the current obsession with dancehall music and the lack of appreciation for local culture. "If every day you hear a Vybz Kartel or Movado then that becomes your culture in a kind of subliminal way. That becomes a part of you, so all you know now is that," he said. But the upper-sixer from St. George's College hopes change will come if the younger singers take a stand. He said, "I think it'll take some time for me and other upcoming artistes ... to really put forward a message of fully local." While Erphan remains optimistic about what new soca artistes can add to the genre, this season of Synergy Soca Star is evidence that soca singers are using dancehall to win themselves fans. Last year's Soca Star winner, Richard "Chynee" Valentine, said he keeps it local when he performs because he is not only promoting himself, but his culture. He said the dancehall influence has become so prevalent in Trinidad that it is now "Jamaica and Tobago." Some contestants from the show said dancehall shouldn't be allowed in performances because the competition is for soca music and soca artistes. "I don't really find they should include the dancehall because of the mere fact that it's Soca Star," said Isaac King, a contestant from the show. The Student Press contacted Bunji Garlin's manager, Ian Pantin, yesterday who has not yet responded to an e-mailed request for an interview with Bunji. Listen to Bunji's song here http://bit.ly/1ZRpUt and tell us what you think.
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Comments (20)
Opinion
written by kfarrick , December 17, 2009 I think music suppose to evolve and it will always do just that, i say listen to the music you like and change the station when it's not playing what you wanna hear. If now you're singing is a "soca" competition then stick to the rules and sing soca.
wow...
written by Sade Richardson , December 18, 2009 I am in lower six and for sociology I am doing the impact of dancehall music on the behavior and self image of lower six students of two schools. To me, this is a problem because we have made it that way. I honestly think, we need to stand up for our culture before we have cultural erasure. We have such a rich cultural heritage, why aren't we embracing it?
what ppl still arguing 4
written by nicolas , December 18, 2009 You ppl mavado and kill dey feud last week.Gully/Gaza done! Leh we rejoice
no-one is bashing!
written by contemplating reading student press , December 18, 2009 being a part of the Sekon sta group on fb he said he was not bashing ne1 so u all wrongly named ur article...not favouring a particular song does not mean you are bashing someone.... shame on you all for naming this article this!
Poor Journalism
written by Sekon Sta fan , December 18, 2009 I think its sad that Ms. Viareul would misquote a fresh upcoming artiste SEKON STA who is aspiring to make the mark the Bunji Garlin has. He may not like the implications the song has but TRUST he likes Bunji Garlin. Publish an apology immediately.
Can you people read?
written by A Reader , December 18, 2009 From my reading of this nobody is bashing Bunji and the headline doesn't say that. It says artistes bash Bunji's (note apostrophe s) 'Gully or Gaza. Up and coming artistes went on record against the song but trying to ensure they don't lose favour with the likes of powerful Bunji Garlin. What a pity? So interested in your careers you prefer nobody points in your direction. Shame on you.
how u
written by A. Mann , December 18, 2009 Jesus Christ Satisfies PERMANENTLY!!!! All human beings and things temporarily make you happy. Which one of the above do you really prefer? Choose Christ or die in sin........
illiteracy running rampant
written by a READER , December 18, 2009 where to start with this boy? hear na, alyuh "fans" of this sekon sta whoever, in a real mess. CLEARLY you have never studied the english language a day in your lives. the title of the article is "Young soca artistes bash Bunji's 'Gully or Gaza'. There is quite clearly an apostrophe s after Bunji's name and then the title of the song. The reporter did not say they bashin Bunji. the girl say they bashin the song. and from what i read i understand the point of the story. if you missin the point even after it was stated in such plain words then sumthing really wrong in dis country.
i woudn't say "bash" though..
written by kemada , December 18, 2009 firstly, from the report i just read, i wouldn't use the word "bash" in the title. this makes the article way more controversial than it really is (allyuh play with the fact that Trinis love a bacchanal). none of quotes expressed any disdain toward Bunji or his song but rather toward how much Jamaican music is influencing our LOCAL music. i agree that the "gaza-gully" stances in Jamaica (which was meant to be neither a promotion of physical segregation of people nor a literal war, but simply a "wileness" between artistes) has been misinterpreted and adopted to too great an extent in Trinidad. i also agree that the media plays an enormous role in this. without even surveying it, anyone can see that the majority of music played on our radio stations in NOT LOCAL! "we have been bred with the ideology, that local equals inferiority" (Kemada Peters, 2009), and as such, many of our youth will grow with little appreciation for their original culture.
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written by kemada , December 18, 2009 and i don't see the need to insult anyone's intelligence... ( the "fans" of sekon sta in a rel mess??) anyone can make a mistake... and it really doesn't seem to me that they bashed the song either! so the title is a bit misleading...
Better Lyrics than that Bunji
written by Voice of REALITY , December 19, 2009 I must say I was shocked when I heard the song because the lyrics are so DAMN POOR! Why jump on this STUPID Gully-Gaza bandwagon? That only propelling non-sensical violence that doesn't even have anything to do with T&T further.
correction
written by contemplating reading student press , December 19, 2009 point I making here is that he is still a fan of bunji... the artiste in question does not favour the grounds of the song... but "all he feels now is not disappointment"! distinction in english too... so ammm... take time!
THANK you KEMADA!!! [Text NB to 4Star] lol
written by Ken Sambury , December 19, 2009 Randomly reviewing the daily highlights on my favorite facebook. I notice the raucous I ask, if Several artists comment and say they felt that another artist was "compromising his integrity as an artiste by playing on something that two other artistes are beefing over" -- who is the Student Press to claim that these words deserve to be titled BASHING. a quick google would teach that: "BASH" is a verb which means to knock: a vigorous blow; "the sudden knock floored him"; "he took a bash right in his face"; "he got a bang on the head" Honestly do you think any of the aforementioned artists would benefit from hitting a local cultural icon such as bunji garlin a "vigorous blow" ? Would the local soca industry benefit? Is this is a last ditch attempt at conjuring hits to this website? When would we as Trinidadians, in the media or in the soca industry forget our alliances and our own goals and work toward the greater good of our culture and not blatantly incite contention between our local soca artists. Lets have an educated debate on this topic! Lets get even more hits to the website. Lets discuss the controversy! What do you think? OH, and BEFORE someone says i'm bashing the student press. Let me state that I LOVE TSP and i consider myself some part of their team, lol. Altho maybe a microsopic part.. lol I also think that we as journalists have a intriguing topic to say the least and we lets level the playing fields and hear opposing viewpoints! Lets get some students involved and have a panel discussion, I volunteer to host it!
And I agree with A Reader [Sekon Sta 4 Soca Star!!!] lol
written by Ken Sambury , December 19, 2009 Yuh, i also agree with a reader on the indication that the thing being bashed is a song. But umm.. Mr. A Reader one my understand that as a young artist, while I think Sekon Sta especially old enough to fight his own battles, somehow you can't help but understand that a small soca star bashing a cultural icon, title holder, soca champion is unhealthy controversy. Artists should work in harmony and not bash one another's music. We hardly getting our music out dey, and you wanna bash another man. That is like we both are building cupboards, I notice yours looks crooked, instead of presenting my constructive criticism while acknowledging your efforts and respecting you as a senior carpenter -- I JUST UPS AND BASH AWAY! come on now Mr. A Reader. THINK! wrong in this country. BOYGIRL .. take a moment and listen to some local music please. give your constructive criticism, your time would be better spent than commenting on another's grammar.
Managing Editor _The Student Press
written by Abby Brathwaite , December 19, 2009 Ken you brought your client to our office for an interview. We recorded every bit of it. I have also looked closely at the word bash and it can also be used to mean a verbal attack. I headlined the story and I stand by it. I decided that the quotes used in the story constituted bashing. In hindsight however I should have selected the harsher comments made by Sekon Sta, including the one in which he referred to the song as 'manifest absurdity' then perhaps there would be NO debate as to whether he was BASHING the song. You were present for the interview, it is clear now that Sekon Sta is trying to distance himself from the on-the-record comments he made to us. Thank God we have him saying exactly what we claimed and much much more recorded. I wonder if he would be willing to have the recording, in its entirety, made public?
hmmmm lord have mercy this world need some kind of help
written by shahida , December 23, 2009 i find that whatever happen with kartel and movado with dey gully vs gaza happens dey just showing d world dey culture so everyone has thre type so this gully vs gaza should not bother we ppl if uh doh like jus doh listen 2 d music simple as that....i kno it i causing violence yes but these youths who are siding gully or gaza are jus foolish ones they do not have pride in themselves.
Can someone please listen to Bunji's song one more time?
written by Natasha, BSc. , December 27, 2009 Ok, seriously ppl, this is way out of hand. In this country where tertiary education is basically free, how can we still have such narrow-minded ppl? Let me discuss a few things: 1. Persons who have adopted the "gully/gaza" way of thinking or any negative or positive construct cannot be so swayed from it by simply saying "that is foolishness" "that is not our culture,leave that in Jamaica(where these terms and land formations did not even originate)". There are certain things that you have to let ppl go through and process before a lesson can be learnt. a. Bunji Garlin has so faciliated such action. He is not saying that the "gully/gaza" is right and that we should all choose a side and war against each other, he simply says that it does not matter which side you believe yourself to be a part of - just forget it and jump up together, enjoy the culture and have fun. Like he said we are all family... 2. It is high time that we as a nation stop fighting and even debating petty issues. Instead of wondering why a soca artiste has chosen to sing and attempt to bring together two groups of communities, let us address the situation of why these persons do not love themselves enough to perpetuate something better and more positive for themselves. Ask yourself what our government, community leaders, parents, teachers.. are doing that can instill a sense of pride, ambition, and determination for what is right. Ask yourself what we can do, and how does this pointless debate help anyone? 3. Like the pertinent artiste that Bunji is, he has already released an 'answer' to all his detractors who have taken his song out of context. He sang it slowly so you can hear it better too ;).
Bunji missing de point
written by A Reader , December 27, 2009 To the great defenders of Bunji's Gully or Gaza song including the remix and in particular to Ms. Natasha, Bsc—I reget to inform you that you are missing the point. 1. Bunji's remix claims he is slowing it down for us to get the message clear. Nonsense. This is to insult our intelligence. There was no need for that. We understood you the first time Mr. Lyrical No gimmical. 2. Bunji's remix hasn't helped any. The original issue many of us had with the song was the fact that Bunji has used his music TO REINFORCE what is a criminal/gangsta motif in Jamaica. 3. Bunji claims the issue is in the air so he feels compelled to sing about it. No problem Bunji but when you do be sure you use that talent to DISMISS, DEBUNK AND DESTROY the Gully/Gaza thing. You continue to do damage not so much by what you said in your songs as what YOU DID NOT SAY in them. Instead of telling youth they're headed in the wrong direction, to throw away the Gully /Gaza thing, you tell them to jump up under their respective banners. 4. OK Bunji. You know what. They are going to do just that. They will jump up like 'family' but at some point during the fete one of them will land on de enemy's foot and blood will run. And let me tell you something Mr. Lyrical, all ah we ain't from 'certain areas'. Some of us grow up on de block, some ah we cud chant faster than you and some ah we know the street life and we putting to you that the 'love' only lasts for so long with these yutes. When you park up safe dem studying how to exact revenge Gully / Gaza style. 5. Chanting fast on ah mic is one thing Bunji but you got to think as fast as you chant. At the end of the day you have joined a growing list of artistes dese yutes look up to. Beenie Man just came out with his own Gully / Gaza jackassness. I see the two of you are friends. Well, remember this Bunji, there is truth that seems right to you artistes and then there's the truth for the rest of us. I'll end by saying to whom much is given, much is required. Large up yuhself Bunji.
hmmmm......
written by keisha , December 28, 2009 bunji....dis song sendin ah wrong message 2 dem youths out there. watevr de song suppose 2 mean or message it suppose 2 bring out..i knw u cud sing better songs dan dis--;-0 ppl taking dis gully n Gaza shit 2 far now...movado n kartel done dem feud ah gud while now..ppl plz! dem youths tlkin bout who is gully and who is Gaza....hmmmm.... i knw for sure i not not 1 of dem shit i is myself!
War in Sangre Grande Gully/Gaza style
written by A Reader , December 28, 2009 Take a bow Bunji, it was reported on the news last night that war has broken out between rival gangs in Sangre Grande. Guess what, one faction is Gully the other is Gaza.... They weren't jumping up as you expected Mr. Garlin. They were pelting chop and pulling gun for each other. Keep reinforcing the crap Bunji. How about another remix? Write comment
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